1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a magnetic head slider assembly, and more particularly to a magnetic head slider which develops an air bearing to maintain a close spacing between the magnetic head and a recording surface.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Magnetic head assemblies that fly relative to magnetic media have been used extensively. These assemblies provide a noncontact transducing relationship between a magnetic transducer and a magnetic recording medium, such as a rotating magnetic disk, so that a stable constant spacing can be maintained between the transducer and the disk. In magnetic recording technology it is continually desired to improve the areal density at which information can be recorded and reliably read. This desire has led to a trend toward greater bit density along a magnetic recording track and a shrinking track width. The greater bit density requires increasingly narrow transducing gaps, so it becomes more difficult to achieve the low flying height required and to maintain this flying height constant to the degree required to reliably record and read data at the higher data rates.
The so-called taper-flat air bearing slider has been widely used, and this slider comprises two side rails, a recessed area between the side rails and a taper formed across the leading end of the side rails. A three rail embodiment is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,823,416 to Warner. Some taper-flat air bearing sliders have the pivot point for suspension attachment located back of the center line of the slider. A disadvantage of this slider occurs since the resulting imbalance produces increased yaw motion during accessing which results in a longer settling time once the desired track is reached and therefore a longer access time. A central pivot suspension attachment eliminates this impact to access time. However, this solution results in a decrease of the flying pitch angle and an increase in the flying height. While it is possible to reduce the side rail width to maintain the original flying height, the flying pitch angle may not be optimum for stability and dynamic performance thereby making it difficult to meet the reliability requirements for recording and reading data at the higher data rates.
Independent of suspension attachment, one way to produce a lower flying height for a taper-flat air bearing slider to meet the greater bit density requirements is to reduce the slider rail width. While this proposal is operable to achieve a lower flying height, a resultant disadvantage is that the slider flies at a pitch angle that is not optimum.
The prior art has not shown a taper-flat slider which is capable of flying at a reduced flying height without decreasing the pitch angle and/or increasing the access time.